The Department of City Planning (DCP) is proposing zoning map changes for all or portions of 163 blocks in the northeastern Bronx neighborhoods of Pelham Gardens, Laconia and Baychester in Community Districts 11 and 12. Located north of Pelham Parkway and east of Williamsbridge and Boston roads, these neighborhoods were developed primarily with a mixture of one- and two-family detached and semi-detached homes during the early to mid 20th century. Existing zoning in much of the area, however, does not reflect that context. The proposed rezoning seeks to address community concerns about new development that is out-of-character with the neighborhood context, and to encourage new mixed residential/retail development near the local subway stop on East Gun Hill Road.

Neighborhood Character and Existing Zoning
The Pelham Gardens rezoning area is primarily residential; 93 percent of the lots are residentially developed, about half with detached homes and one-third with semi-detached houses. Some multifamily housing is scattered throughout the rezoning area, though it tends to be clustered toward the northern edges of the area and in the center near Allerton Avenue.

Most of the area is zoned R3-2, R4, and R5, zoning designations that permit a variety of housing configurations including row houses and small multiple dwellings. The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) in these districts ranges from 0.5 (plus 0.1 attic allowance) in R3-2 districts to 1.25 in R5 districts. The maximum building height is 35 feet in the R3-2 and R4 districts and 40 feet in R5. C1-2 and C2-2 commercial overlays, permitting local retail and service shops, are located along East Gun Hill Road, and small sections of Williamsbridge and Eastchester roads.

Proposed Zoning
The proposed contextual zoning districts would better reflect the scale and character of the neighborhoods and ensure that future development will fit the prevailing neighborhood context of one- and two-family detached and semi-detached homes. The zoning would remain unchanged in parts of the study area where the existing character is consistent with the existing zoning. The proposal would also encourage new residential development with ground floor retail along 12 blockfronts on East Gun Hill Road near the East Gun Hill Road subway station. (View table comparing existing and proposed zoning districts.)

All or portions of 19 blocks located in the southeastern corner of the study area are proposed to be rezoned from R3-2 to R3X. The proposed R3X district would limit new residential development to one- and two-family detached residences, the predominant housing type on these blocks. The R3X zone would allow a maximum FAR of 0.6 and require new houses to have a minimum lot width of 35 feet.

Typical development in the proposed R3X district along Astor Avenue.

South of Allerton Avenue, all or portions of 36 blocks would be rezoned from R3-2 and R4 to R4A. This area is generally bounded by Waring and Allerton, and Kingsland avenues, Pelham Parkway and Williamsbridge Road. To preserve the existing character of this area, new development would be limited to one- and two-family detached homes with a maximum FAR of 0.9 and a minimum lot width of 30 feet.

One - family detached home in the proposed R4A district near Stell Place.

All or portions of 96 blocks, in three separate areas, would be rezoned from R3-2, R4, and R5 to R4-1. The largest of the areas, about 77 blocks, abuts Pelham Parkway to the south and then stretches generally northwest along East Gun Hill Road to Givan Avenue. One of the smaller proposed R4-1 districts (13 blocks) extends from the western edge of the study area at Tenbroeck Avenue; the other (6 blocks) is in the northeastern part of the study area near Haffen Park. The proposed R4-1 district would limit new housing to one- and two-family detached and semi-detached homes, the typical housing type in this area. The R4-1 district has a maximum FAR of 0.9 and requires new detached homes to have a minimum lot width of 25 feet.

Typical development in the proposed R4-1 district along Waring Avenue.

Existing development in proposed R6B/C2-3 district along East Gun Hill Road.

Along East Gun Hill Road at the # 5 subway station, all or portions of 12 blockfronts would be rezoned from R4/C1-2, R4/C2-2, R5/C1-2, R4, and R5 to R6B/C2-3 and R6B. The proposed R6B district is a contextual zoning district with a maximum allowable FAR of 2.0 and a maximum building height of 50 feet. New residential development in the proposed R6B district must meet Quality Housing Program requirements.

The proposed R6B/C2-3 district would encourage new mixed commercial/residential development (generally resulting in buildings with ground floor retail with two to three stories of residential above) that would serve the Pelham Gardens, Baychester and Laconia neighborhoods. This contextual designation allows for somewhat denser development than allowed under existing zoning, but the typical R6B building form would more closely resemble traditional development found elsewhere along East Gun Hill Road and similar Bronx thoroughfares. The C2-3 commercial overlay, replacing C1-2 and C2-2 overlays, reduces the off-street parking requirement from one parking space for every 300 square feet of commercial space to one space per 400 square feet, an appropriate adjustment in an area well served by mass transit, and permits a wider range of uses than the C1-2 district.

Public Review
On February 14, 2005, the Department of City Planning certified the Uniform
Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) application for the Pelham Gardens rezoning to begin the formal public review process. Community Board 11 held its public hearing on March 8, 2005 and recommended approval on March 28th. Community Board 12 held a public hearing on March 31, 2005 and recommended approval on that day. The Bronx Borough Board recommended approval of the application on April 28, 2005. The Bronx Borough President recommended approval of the proposal on May 12, 2005. The City Planning Commission held a public hearing on the application on May 25, 2005, and recommended approval on June 22, 2005. ( Read the CPC report: C 050289 ZMX). On July 27, 2005, the City Counil approved adopted the zoning changes which are now in effect.

For more information on the Pelham Gardens Rezoning, please contact the Bronx Office of the Department of City Planning at (718) 220-8500.

Brief explanations of terms ingreen italicscan be viewed by
clicking on the term. Words and phrases followed by an asterisk (*) are defined terms in the Zoning Resolution, primarily in Section 12-10. Consult the Zoning Resolution for the official and legally binding definitions of these words and phrases.